:: BOOK OF THE MONTH ::

THE TRUE SAGE

Once, a Hasid mystic, Joseph Jacov, was asked, “What is the difference between a rabbi and a zaddik?”

A rabbi is the ordinary priest, belongs to the organized religion – the church, the synagogue, the temple. A zaddik is a rebellious master – does not belong to any organization, only belongs to himself.

So, when somebody asked him, Jacov said, “The zaddik remembers, and the rabbi knows.”

In researching Tales of Hasidim, which Osho uses as sutras for this book, I was struck by the description Martin Buber gave to Hasid zaddik, Mendel of Vorki, son of Rabbi Yitzhak. He could have been describing Osho:

“With him silence is not a rite but an art. Silence was his way. It was not based on a negative principle; not was it merely the absence of speech. It was positive and had a positive effect. Mendel’s silence was a shell filled with invisible essence, and those who were with him breathed it.”

One morning thereafter, with no particular purpose I opened Osho’s book, Books I have loved, and found Osho speaking of this very connection between himself, his people and the Hasids. And with this, as well as the opening story, Osho introduces The True Sage:

“What D.T. Suzuki did for Zen, Martin Buber has done for Hasidism. And both have done a tremendous service for seekers.”

“Buber was born into a Hasidic family. From his very childhood he was raised among the Hasids. It was in his very blood, bones, marrow, so when he relates it, it sounds so true, although he is only describing what he has heard, nothing more. He has heard correctly; that must be on record. Even to hear correctly is very difficult, and then to report to the world at large is even more difficult, but he has done it beautifully.”

“Suzuki is enlightened, Buber is not – but Suzuki is not a great writer, Buber is. Suzuki is an ordinary writer. Buber towers very high as far as the art of writing is concerned. But Suzuki knows, and Buber does not; he is only relating the tradition in which he was brought up…of course relating authentically.”

“ Tales of Hasidism should be read by all seekers of truth. These tales, small stories, have such a flavor. It is different from Zen, it is also different from Sufism. It has its own flavor, unborrowed from anyone, uncopied, unimitated. The Hasid loves, laughs, dances. His religion is not of celibacy, but of creation.”

“That’s why I find a bridge between my people and the Hasids. The word does not matter, the spirit matters.”

May you laugh and be moved.

Prem Lolita